


When in Rome

by unforciablecure



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/F, Flirting, Post: The Lost Legacy, So much flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 08:50:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12384870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unforciablecure/pseuds/unforciablecure
Summary: A vespa, an old saying and the Italian capital; all sequed between an auction job and a fountain's worth of unresolved sexual tension? Sign Chloe up.





	When in Rome

The plan was this: get in and get out.

It was supposed to be simple.

"Easy" Chloe had said, "a simple grab and swap. Won’t even break a sweat."

A slight miscalculation.

Because there’s more than sweat staining the edges of Chloe’s faded red t-shirt; there’s dirt and dust; a side effect of scaling across countless walls and weaving down balcony pipes, and the promised “simple grab and swap” has fizzled into a full blown car chase unfolding throughout a cobbled street and marketplace. Not quite a car chase, however, because Chloe is riding a “liberated” Vespa; red and white in colour, with hands gripping the accelerators almost as tightly as Nadine Ross is clinging onto her waist. Nadine is her eyes and ears, one hand clutching a handgun, as she ensures to keep the gaining pursuers at a safe distance by sparks of shining bullets peppered into the dusty streets of Rome.

They’re in the Italian capital and driving at a speed which is common courtesy by city goers, segued by the occasional curse word, the squeaky honk of horns and equally annoyed expressions. The evening sun remains bright and shining - overhanging a cloudless sky - and somewhere in the far off distance, the iconic outline of the Coliseum stands shimmering. They hadn’t stopped in Italy for the scenic postcard views, however, but because of a job.

It had all been thrown together last minute – jobs normally were – and forwarded onto Chloe by none other than Victor Sullivan himself; “a friend of a friend type situation” he had said, and who was Chloe to argue with a week long bask in the glow gifted by the simmering sun?

It was almost always auction jobs when Sully rang. This one was being hosted by a spoiled rich kid – an American Richard Rublek – but the most interesting artefact was not being sold at auction on the day; it was being housed three stories above the mansion’s hall, in an upstairs room; a diadem.

The piece was beautiful, shimmering with a quality reminiscent of the Hamsa Hand, and was being caged in a glass cabinet which hadn’t seen a duster for a time. The story – or how Chloe had been phrased it – was that the diadem had originally belonged as a family air loom to Sully’s client and one which had been stolen from the family well over a decade ago. News had travelled that it was on this side of the country and Victor’s Italian friend wanted it back. She was desperate and Victor had been her first calling solution. There was no price too high, they had been told, and Sully – sighing with a cigar drawl down the line supplemented by a thick smokers cough – had informed Chloe that they would all clean up nicely, no baths or showers required. It was an unusual job, the retrieval of a piece which had no historical value or intrinsic deeper meaning, but returning to Italy had soon silenced any initial stammers of hesitation. The money helped, too.

Chloe retrieved the diadem, of course, all thanks to the distraction posed perfectly by her partner and Nadine’s avid interest in bidding on almost all of the pieces placed on sale in the auction room below. It was a character that came easy; the obnoxious rich auction goer was always vain. Auctions were always full of the same characters, always the confidence and allure, the wealth. Nadine had spent a fair share of her time running in similar circles so being decked out in a sleek black dress, the character mask had slipped onto her face easy. She knew what to say – exaggerated words - and even the way to carry herself; a cocky arrogance she had mirrored on Rafe Adler, god rest his bastard soul.

Naturally the easy “grab and swap” hadn’t gone to plan and now their escape route was being worked upon, drawn out in a messy line in invisible ink as it unfolded before their eyes. Chloe feels the rescued diadem through her jeans - the retrieved necklace piece now burning a hole in her back pocket - as they weave over ancient cobbles and tiles broken and chipped away by time. The streets unfolding in front of them appear to be narrowing, offering up yet another added danger to the one currently trailing behind them at speed. Where there was once a vast span of street courtyards and town squares ahead are now thin, twisty alleyways and drying sheets cascading down from apartment windows, billowing in the gentle breeze offered up by the passing heat of the afternoon sun. The streets are relatively deserted and quiet but today’s afternoon siesta is about to come to an end.

"You said this was going to be simple" Nadine echoes, gruffly, pony-tailed hair blowing in the wind as she clings onto Chloe, pointing her gun down at her side. Rublek’s men are trailing behind them at a reasonably safe distance now, allowing Nadine to steady her breath and refresh the depleting magazine of her gun. She shifts, scowling at the re-emergence of a henchman on another bike. " _Easy"_

There’s a hint of distaste to the emitted words and Nadine draws cold eyes to the trailing henchmen.

"Someone’s gotta keep you on your tippy toes" flows Chloe’s retort.

Nadine opens her mouth to churn a reply but is abruptly cut off as Chloe veers the Vespa to the left, suddenly, the wheels of the bike blurring bumpy as they begin to descend the decline of another cobbled street. She catches herself, silently impressed by Chloe’s driving and the skill her partner possesses at controlling the bike in such tight and bumpy confines.

"Can’t _feel_ my toes at this rate" Nadine says, through greeted teeth.

The roughness of their descent ricochets with a distinct echo of sound, rising in the alleyway as they emerge on the beginnings of another side street.

"Bloody Romans" Chloe announces. Her voice is a warm echo as it reverberates down the alleyway and Nadine finds herself half-chuckling at her partner’s outburst. "No consideration for anyone but themselves"

"A lot in common, you two" Nadine offers, with a hint of amusement, before she casts her eyes back to their trail, her black dress billowing in the gentle breeze. Three bikes are gaining on them now, Italian curses lost in translation and distance as the men attempt to bridge the gap between them.

Chloe sucks in a breath, dramatically delivering; "Just like I said to Julius the other day…"

A grin finds its way tugging at the edge of Nadine’s lips, a fervour spreading throughout her features, and concluding in a deep bright spark in her eyes. The bike wheezes with speed, Chloe increasing their movement as she desperately tries to evade the gaining henchmen, nearing the end of the alleyway.

"We’ll ditch them at the bridge" she decides, after a moment.

"You’re going in the wrong direction" Nadine tells her, eyebrow rising, waving her gun as if to validate her point. "Bridge is _that_ way"

"They run parallel. I think. We’ll make it"

"You think they run parallel or you think we’ll make it?"

"Uh, option three?"

"You’re heading for a dead end" Nadine states. She had planned their escape route so she knows every detail, knows every inch of twisty and zigzagging alleyway this side of the city. Everything would have been executed to perfection except Chloe had been forced to take a left three blocks away, throwing what would’ve been a simple route into a hot frying pan of a spaghetti junction of possibilities. They’ve crossed into unknown territory, now, and heavily worn cobbled alleyways and options are growing limited fast.

"Plan C?" Chloe murmurs. "I’m all ears"

Nadine twists her head around, raising her gun and aiming with precision as she punctures a henchman in the arm with a bullet and he abruptly topples over, his Vespa scraping as it collides with the thin wall of the alleyway. The others follow his trail, slowly, as they swerve in avoidance to miss him, sparks of light igniting as the abandoned bike scrapes to a stop.

"One down" Nadine updates. "Two to go"

"Nice to know"

The bike roars as Chloe keeps them steady, speed increasing as the walls of the alleyway blur past. A few street stragglers jump out of their way, cursing in Italian with descriptive hand motions. The flipped finger, it appears, is a universal symbol. They weave throughout the passageway to meet with a spacious courtyard, decorated by a flowing fountain and elderly men playing dominoes situated at square tables dotted in and around the square. Chloe’s eyes shift from left to right as she draws their momentum back to a speed which is just ticking over, barely in motion. She can hear the growing growl of the small crowd on their tail, realising that they only have a few moments before Rublek’s men will emerge beside them.

"Dead end" Nadine states, holding onto Chloe’s waist as their momentum shifts. "Shit!"

Chloe glances around. "Hate it when you’re right"

"All the time, then" Nadine shifts, her eyes absorbing the scene in before them. In these sort of locations - historical street squares - she’s always found there to be a-

"Clock tower" Chloe states, locating their salvation with a nodded head. She proceeds to veer the bike to the left and then to the right, making Nadine’s grip grow tighter as they kick start in motion. The clock tower stands tall and intimidating, before them, in the centre of the square with decaying walls and a faint trail of urban greenery snaking its way up the side. The tower is wedged between buildings; Chloe locating a fully functioning escape route in the form of corrugated roofing and a dusty sandstone complex running flush.

Nadine feels the rumble of the Vespa, recognising immediately that the speed of their momentum is increasing. "Hang on. You’re not seriously going to-"

"Save our arses and get the hell out of here? Why, Nadine, that sounds like a _great_ idea"

Chloe keeps the movement of the bike going. The clock tower is before them now, inching closer.

"When I say jump…" Chloe’s voice is bumpy, shaky as if affected by the uneven ground their Vespa is currently hurtling across. "You jump, yeah"

" _Wait_ , Frazer-"

" _Jump!"_

It’s both simultaneous - and some kind of a miracle - because not only do they jump together, they leap. The Vespa zooms from beneath them, hurtling at a dangerous speed as it collides head on with a crumbling wall of the courtyard edge. Nadine finds herself tugging Chloe up by the hand as they bumpily steady their balance against the tiled square, momentarily stumbling.

"Never listen, do you?" Nadine comments, annoyed. The statement – ever true to words - falls on deaf ears. They dust themselves down before they turn around in sync, beginning to charge towards the wooden entrance to the clock tower. The old men playing dominoes are too engrossed in their game to look to the source of the disturbance it seems, the noise of the abandoned bike being barely acknowledged. " _This_ is your plan C?" Nadine asks, checking her gun. "Create a scene and disturb the locals?"

"Well…" Chloe begins, her voice fragmented by the steady power of running. "Plan _D_ if you count-"

" _Vai a prenderli!"_

Chloe doesn’t flinch at the re-emergence of the goons on their tail. She glances towards them, briefly, eyes taking in the Vespas and guns pointed in their direction as they continue on their forward sprint towards the clock tower. "Up for a climb in that dress, China?" Chloe asks, buzzing with adrenaline. It’s almost overpowering as it fluctuates and spreads throughout her veins. Almost. "Race you to the top"

"Loser buys dinner" Nadine states, overtaking Chloe as they reach the edge of the entrance.

"You have got yourself a deal"

The door creaks as they slip inside, the echo of Italian accents creeping closer. Nadine wedges a blockade between the door in the form of a heavy block of wood they find resting at the bottom edge of the staircase. The winding stairs are dusty, dabbed with strewn strands of sawdust as they begin their winding ascent level to level, storey to storey, on the spiral staircase, hearing the freshly placed blockade being dislodged by angry stomps of boots followed up by sudden shots of gun fire. They bypass the back of the clock face, eventually emerging on the roof by a small hatch, turning to face the oncoming sun by shielding their eyes with free hands. The footsteps are echoing as the sounds of the disturbance rise upwards to where they now stand and they don’t have a lot of time. There’s no choice but to shake off the shadows on their tail so they position themselves in blind spots adjacent to the hatch and doorway of the roof, preparing themselves for the oncoming bodies. Nadine cocks her gun, raising it to eye level as she flanks the right hand side while Chloe takes the left. A few moments of shuffling and whispering unfold, the men’s voices carrying in the gentle breeze but Chloe and Nadine’s mirroring movements flow in sync.

" _Dove sono loro?"_

The first henchman appears, the roof creaking from his weight as he places his first step out, Chloe inhaling a deep breath as she waits for him to move further from the hatch. It’s all about timing. Nadine shifts on the opposite side, growing impatient, as the goon takes his time before he eventually emerges. His friend appears on the six of Chloe’s mark by a sudden crunch of metal on the corrugated roof as Chloe raises a hand, whispering gently and almost too quietly to form the steady instructions of; " _One, two_ …"

The first blow is delivered by a fist to his face – on the declaration of " _three"_ – and the element of surprise is too sudden as the henchman’s handgun falters and falls from his grip. Chloe twists him around by a swift arm grab before she delivers another blow to his face, kicking his fallen gun from the roof with a thick scraping sound. The body on his six moves to fire but Nadine gets there first. She raises her gun, firing too near perfect shots into his leg and he crumbles towards the roof edge, recoiling in pain and curse words, as his gun scrapes and falls away. Nadine proceeds to knock him out by the butt of her gun, standing promptly as she turns around to find Chloe engaged in a scuffle with Henchman Number One.

"Alright over there?"

"I’ve had better days" Chloe admits, dodging a punch and delivering one of her own. Her fist aches but she covers it up with a swift grin. The pain is lessened with clenched teeth, right? "Worst ones, too"

"Need a hand?" Nadine asks, carefully, holstering her gun. There’s a tiny hint of amusement to the words because Chloe - a non-professionally trained fighter - remains a little scrappy when placed in confrontation. She thinks on her feet.

" _No"_ Chloe regrets her words as soon as the goon jabs her in the stomach, a low blow to the abdomen, and she stumbles back, knees hitting the corrugated steel of the roof. Nadine proceeds to stride towards them - gripping the goon by the edge of his dark shirt - before she promptly hurls him from the roof. The action appears to take little to zero effort and Nadine dusts herself down, outstretching her previously declined hand as she hears a thick thud as his body hits the square below. Someone’s round of dominoes has been promptly concluded.

Chloe accepts her partner’s offered hand, slowly. She’s been doing that a lot lately, ever since India, and she still can’t quite settle if the flowing motion ranks as a pro or a con. "Could’ve handled that myself" Chloe coughs, mustering some of the dignity she feels she’s momentarily let slide. Nadine pulls Chloe to her feet, a hand lingering against her shoulder. There’s a half smile forming on Nadine’s lips - a not quite grin - but amusement filters its way into her voice in the same tempo.

"Sure looked that way"

"Uh, thanks. I guess" Chloe says, easing her hand back. She glances around, nodding to the view before them. The skyline of the city shimmers with the gliding sun and they both take a moment to breath in and exhale the warm air and scenery spread around them. It almost feels like their eyes are falling fresh and new as they absorb the city placed before them; the chase giving way and refreshing the vitality of their travels. Chloe dusts herself down, pulling her gaze away from the city of Rome set before them. "Remind me never to piss you off while in the proximity of roofs" She grins, glancing around. "I have learned my lesson"

"Some chase" Nadine breathes, Chloe’s playful comment being brushed over. Nadine’s face is brimming with adrenaline and unfiltered high, her voice even more so. It’s been quite the day. "Next time, I’m driving. You can ride shotgun"

"No Fun Ross strikes again" Chloe stands, leaning against the tower. She dramatises a pout, the action evoking a hint and tugging smile from her partner. Chloe always knows which buttons to press; the shiny ones, the dangerous ones more explicitly. Those ones are always fun.

"I _do_ get an actual shotgun though, right? It’s kind of a deal breaker here"

Nadine hums, pondering the somewhat tempting concept with a false facade. She glances to Henchman Number Two lying unconscious across the roof before her gaze flits back to Chloe’s. "Haven’t decided yet"

"Guess I’ll have to try and win you over then" Chloe rests against the edge of the building, her smile growing against the shining sun. "Sure it’s not too laborious a task"

"We’ve got the diadem" Nadine exhales, rubbing her arms, a brief pause of silence snaking its way between them. It’s a comfortable silence, though. Her eyes fall upon her partner with renewed seriousness. "Where to now?"

"Don’t know about you but I could really murder a drink right about now"

Nadine agrees. A drink does sound good. "Ja, sure" she pauses, her expression shifting from a hinted smile into a fully formed smirk when Chloe’s grin exposes white teeth. "You owe me dinner"

"Uh, a _tiebreak"_  Chloe begins, leaning back against the dusty concrete of the tower. "We made it through at the same time"

"Won fair and square" Nadine tells her, curtly. "Feet touched this roof before you"

"I distinctly recall my feet mirroring yours"

"Chloe Frazer; a _wormer"_ Nadine adds, crossing her arms. "You owe me dinner"

" _Owe_ is such an exaggerated term. How about we call it a gift? A one off payment. I’m being… _kind"_

Nadine snorts. She’s amused to say the least. "Sore loser"

"A sore and _tired_ loser" Chloe glances around. "C’mon, let’s get down from here. That fall won’t have gone unnoticed"

 

* * *

 

Dinner arrives in the form of pizza – true Italian-only-could’ve-been-bought-in-Rome pizza – and Chloe might be a proud and self-proclaimed cheap date but the pizza is to die for.

Nadine devours every slice on offer as they sit in the shadow of the low evening sun. The square they’re sat at is set on a quiet plaza, punctuated by a flowing fountain - there are _a lot_ of fountains in Rome - and snaking weeds creeping up throughout clean paving stones. The sun falls across their skin, refreshing and reflective, and there are no firearms in sight, no freight trains to chase after but most importantly; villain of the week Rublek and his men have fluttered away like bats exposed to sudden light of day. The bar they gravitate towards post-pizza is a street away from the hotel they’re staying in. The joint is as ancient as the Romans, featuring crumbling walls and peeling paint, and the rustic decay feels like a fitting aesthetic to the life they find themselves living.

They’re treasure hunters – " _occasional"_ Nadine proudly vouches - and that statement in itself remains one which is voiced with humour and complimented by glazed eyes when dwelled upon by Nadine. The two words numb her with a joyous haze and maybe even a skipped heartbeat. _Treasure hunters_. Chloe cemented the beginning of their partnership with a high five and even though Nadine won’t admit it – aloud – the simple collision of their hands merging had kicked started a warmth of happiness deep within herself. The happiness has yet to relent.

The lights in the bar are low, flickering with a red glow which enhances the room with an ambience and a cloudy suspense, one which is also corrupted with cigar smoke from the burly locals sitting slung in the far corners, puffing away their problems one drag at a time. There's some kind of foreign, far travelled music crackling out of the battered radio system but the bar staff appear to be the only ones paying attention to it as they sway and sing along. The place is dusty; the spinning fan on the ceiling is emitting a noise which resembles a cough, like it too is choked up from the fumes and substances cascading around the room. It had been Chloe's idea, of course, to slide into the very first watering hole they had laid eyes upon, not even thinking twice about the place they had strolled into, because, as she had told Nadine, she could only walk as far as her _sore loser_ legs could take her.

The doors to the bar open as crumbling and limp as the surrounding walls; swinging saloon style doors, and Nadine had almost rolled her eyes at the cliché. It was all too predictable for Rome but her momentary annoyance had stilled because as much as she doesn't like to admit it, she's starting to reap the effects of a poor night’s sleep. She’s tired. Cuts and bruises are still worn on her face from their last completed job - disguised poorly by light makeup - and maybe a shower would have been a finer idea to the bar stools they've found themselves currently situated on.

Nadine opts to flag them down something stronger - a celebratory drink so to speak - and isn't surprised in the slightest to discover that Chloe enjoys the tangy taste of scotch.

"Un altro, per favore" Chloe asks the bartender, in near perfect Italian, once her glass is shimmering with glowing and hollowed emptiness. She leans over the bar, dropping her voice to a seductive whisper. It’s enough to win out an eye roll from Nadine by her side, who downs a mouthful of Scotch in near succession as the tangy taste hits her almost immediately. It’s just strong enough to numb the flirtatious exchange unfolding before her eyes as the feeling springs with an unfamiliar jab towards her heart. _Jealously._

Chloe tilts her head, eyes widening as she playfully continues. "Lei sarà molto ubriaca"

The bar tender laughs, heartedly, before he responds with something Nadine can’t translate, not that her Italian ranges further than "ciao" and "prego" these days, but she thinks that being lost in translation on this occasion is probably for the better. The bar tender is attractive, Nadine muses, if that’s your thing. She thinks on it for longer than she should. Maybe that’s Chloe’s thing.

"Don’t even want to know what you said" Nadine states, curtly, taking another mouthful of her drink. Jealously is a recently uncovered emotion she does _not_ want to dwell on, thank you very much.

Chloe leans back, turning around on her stool. "I asked _politely_ for another drink, I’ll have you know"

" _Sure"_

" _What?_ You don’t believe me? What with my pristine track record and cunning knack for playful bantering?"

"Rhetorical question" Nadine says, pausing. She places her glass down on the bar, her bottom lip jutting out. "You certainly know the lingo"

Chloe could be mistaken but there’s a faint whiff of impressiveness – borderline awe – falling behind her partner’s words and in all honesty, it sends a shiver up her spine. She’d never admit it, though.

" _Surprised?"_

"Not really" Nadine answers, shifting on her stool. "In this line of work you have to be adaptable, flexible. Every little helps"

"Listen to you; “ _in this line of work_ ”" Chloe’s eyes flicker, a smile spreading bright and wide on her features, almost as if the warm spark of scotch has ignited a flickering flame in motion. A fraction of unfiltered awe dilutes into her voice. "Someone’s learning"

Nadine grasps her glass, smirking as she rephrases Chloe’s exchange. "Surprised?"

" _Amazed"_ Chloe grins. "It’s still early days but treasure hunting- It’s- it’s a good look on you"

Nadine doesn’t blink when the flowing whiskey gets knocked back and switched for self-proclaimed Caribbean rum, and definitely not at all surprised when the spirits are followed up by the arrival of two shot glasses clinked down against the worn and faded wood of the bar counter. Nadine's eyes flicker down as Chloe prods the shot glass closer towards her, jabbing it with an index finger. It feels like a silent challenge, a challenge which is literally inching its way closer, swaying with a silent utterance of _drink me_ and Nadine will, of course.

Nadine hitches a curious eyebrow, complimented by a slight smirk. "Tryin' to get me drunk, Frazer?"

"Now why, why would I want to do that?"

Nadine tries not to smile - she's been doing a lot of that lately, especially around the thief who is sat to her left - but the muscles in her face numb and forge all the same. Chloe's voice is warm and encompassing in equal form as are her eyes and all the other assets she wears well. The low light of the bar illuminates an almost halo like effect around her partner and Nadine wants to snort at the irony because Chloe Frazer is as far flung from being an angel than anyone else she knows. It’s an obvious realisation that her hand is being forced by the attractiveness, by the easiness, of her partner who sits beside her – which it is, completely - so Nadine can do nothing but smile. The alcohol is making her thoughts fuzzy, injecting her with a looseness which is both tempting and dangerous in equal measure. She tells herself that it isn't the careful eyes reflecting back on her, or the softness of her partner’s voice or the way in which Chloe’s cheeks are glowing, even with the side effects of scratches and the faint outlines of darkening bruises forged by rooftop confrontations. The bar is a cloudy and smoky haze yet Nadine sees the remnants clearly, sees the way in which the cuts and the bruises only seem to enhance the features of her recently acquired friend.

"You tell me" Nadine breathes, deep, and her fingers are reaching out, wrapping around the shininess of the shot glass. The words had been posed flirtatiously and as much as Nadine knows it's a quality that's adeptly worn and executed in Chloe's arsenal, it remains confusing as ever.

"Alcohol makes people loose" Chloe announces, lifting her glass up as if to toast and it’s only now when Nadine’s eyes take in the sight of the retrieved diadem slung neatly around Chloe's neck. It hangs bright and glittering in the low light of the bar but in all, it looks perfectly placed. Chloe continues. "Especially those who are... shall we say, tightly wound?"

Nadine's ego isn't dented by the comment, in fact, she's amused. Chloe glances towards the shot glass, fingers tightly encasing the tumbler. Nadine can sense unvoiced words resting on the tip of her partner’s tongue because Chloe's lips are wavering like she's actively biting her cheek to either prevent herself from blurting something or psyching herself up for the taste of whatever spirit is sitting in the glass. It remains as a mystery even to Nadine because as far travelled as she is, the Italian language continually remains a paradox and one she has only the edges of her fingertips grasping.

"It's a catalyst, isn't it? Alcohol" Chloe announces, breaking the silence settling between them. "The devil on your shoulder screaming at you with the bad decisions which end up being good, all the good which end up being bad and all those in between"

"You're getting deep on me, Frazer" Nadine smirks, tilting her head, her ponytail swaying. She glances around the bar. "I'd write these down but I'm short of pen and paper"

The retort wins out a smile and a jokingly cast middle finger. Nadine returns the same courtesy - politely - with a raised glass before she knocks back the shot. The liquid washing down her throat is warm, lingering with a burn which fizzles with heat. Alcohol warms her soul in a way not many things can; the missing jigsaw piece in the board game of life. The person sat to her left, however, is a recently uncovered source of the very same warmth and Nadine can’t quite place exactly how that realisation makes her feel. The alcohol helps, though, so, they drink. They drink a lot. Nadine isn’t sure how it happens; how one shot turns into three, how Chloe seems to be unaffected by the spirits as she knocks them back freely with quick hands, snapped fingers and Italian blurbs for more.

"We’re celebrating" Chloe tells her, repeatedly, skewing an almost familiar term as they sit and drink. " _Relax_ , you’ll drink longer"

They stay at the bar for a couple of hours, racking up a bar tab that feels insignificant after being doused by a relaxing haze which is completely geared by the soothing effects of alcohol.

"Rublek _,_ more like _Rubix Cube"_  Chloe snorts as they stumble into the hotel corridor housing their room.

Nadine’s following snicker is all heart – she’s drunk – as she fights to tug the room key card from a hidden pocket in her dress. It falls from her hands and Chloe chastises her partner with narrowed eyes and playful shove, leaning down to collect the key card from the floor.

"Nothing like almost dying to make you feel alive" Nadine says as Chloe swipes the card, her eyes watching the red light of the room door flash until it emerges green. The door opens with a plush click and they slip inside. "We did good"

"That we did"

"You did good"

"Nadine Ross, was that a compliment?"

"What can I see, eh? Even you are deserving of the truth sometimes"

"Truth; a powerful potent. Not for the faint hearted"

"Depends on what’s at stake" Nadine says, sauntering towards their mirroring beds.

The door clicks as it closes and Nadine blinks as the room lights illuminate the space in brightness. Chloe walks towards the sleekness of the hotel room balcony with a smirk outlining her features. They had shifted a small fortune for their stay but it had been worth every Euro; a welcoming upgrade ever since leaving India behind. The view from the room is to die for, and one you could if you were to fall from the gleaming tiles housed on the scenic balcony. The height is perfectly suspended above busy intersections of interlinking streets below, the Italian sky above correlating a backdrop which is worthy of at least a screen background.

"A powerful and equally dangerous potent" Chloe adds. "And one which is not aided by splendours of the alcoholic variety"

"'m, something to the effect of drunks saying what sober people think" Nadine adds, sliding her handgun from her thigh holster tucked neatly beneath her dress, flicking it on safety before she deposits it on the dresser adjacent to her bed. "Heard it around"

"Is that right? Chloe asks, rounding on her feet. She gazes at Nadine, a few steps across the floor. "Because, back at the bar, I distinctly recall you telling me I was hot"

"I’d remember" Nadine says, swaying before she takes a place on the edge of her single bed. "If I’d said it, I mean" She pauses. "You’re messing with me"

"No, no. Not messing. You _did_. In fact, your exact words to me were “ _you’re hotter than the sun, Chloe""_

Nadine scoffs. "Your South African accent is abysmal. Not to mention, borderline offensive"

"Don’t divert" Chloe playfully scolds. "Your words not mine. They fell from your lips"

"Did not"

"Ah, ah, they _did"_ Chloe tells her, cocky. She’s enjoying this looser version of Nadine Ross. Chloe smooths out a toothy grin, looking incredibly – and suspiciously – innocent as she asks; "would this face ever lie to you?"

"Yes. Multiple times over. Repeatedly"

"But not tonight" Chloe raises her right hand, pressing it to the middle of her chest, above her heart, dramatic in delivery and emphasis. "Scouts honour"

" _Scouts_ …" Nadine’s voice trails off and is met by a scoff. " _Unreal"_

"And yet here I am, situated before your eyes. I’m real, Nadine Ross, and you think I’m hot"

"Dealt with worse, I guess’ Nadine admits, after a moment. She gazes at Chloe across the floor. "Easy on the eyes, some might say"

" _Some might say"_ Chloe gasps, albeit, it’s a faux gasp. Okay, she really likes drunker, looser Nadine Ross. "Stop. I’m blushing"

"Never seen you blush before" Nadine admits, exhaling as she lies back on the bed. The covers her back are resting against are welcomed with open arms. It’s been a long day and the comforting covers are plush and satisfying, expensive linen worth every Euro.

"Maybe you’ll just have to try harder then" Chloe says, drifting closer. "Not sure it’s possible, mind you"

Nadine closes her eyes, a brief moment of silence painting the room and the space separating them. She hears Chloe’s movement, feels the room beginning to spin and sway beneath her feet as she lies with her back resting on the bed. Nadine knows she’s going to reap the full effects of a headache and hangover in the morning because the post-drinking regret is already beginning to sink in and she hates it.

"I didn’t actually _say_ you were hotter than the sun, did I?" Nadine asks, quietly. There’s a whiff of dread entangled in her words and Chloe breathes them all in with a toothy grin, meeting the question half-way with equal smugness and appreciation.

"Oh, you did, honey. It was smooth. _Incredibly_ smooth"

Nadine voice appears distant, muffled as she exhales, sinking further into the pillow of her bed. "Sure doesn’t sound like it"

When Nadine’s eyes flicker open, Chloe is at her side, kneeling as she rests against the bottom edge of the bed.

"You know, Frazer" Nadine begins, her gaze holding Chloe’s. "Your eyes change when you lie" She bites her lip, amused at the fact she stumbled on barely a day into their partnership. Partnering with Chloe has made Nadine acutely aware of the finer details which might normally go amiss. There’s a gentle tone to her voice; amusement. "You’d make a terrible Poker player. I hope for your sake, you don’t play"

"A mere exaggeration" Chloe tilts her head. "I am a fine poker player I’ll have you know"

"Is that right?" Nadine is drifting closer towards the edges of laughter, now. "I see right through you"

" _Oh_ , like a ghost?"

"Scares you, eh?" Nadine surmises, shifting against the bed. "Using words and humour to shift and turn around conversations; to shield yourself and the truth. It’s textbook defence mechanism"

"Ooh, scavenger by day, _Dr Phil_ by night. I am impressed"

"You're even doing it now"

"Oh and you’re the queen of honesty? _Holier than holy?"_ Chloe says, tilting her head with wide eyes. "When you still won’t tell me how you got that"

"Got what?" Nadine asks, blinking, as she leans her head up, a movement she immediately regrets as a crossing pain shoots directly across her forehead, like she can literally feel the hints of a hangover falling into place.

Chloe motions to Nadine’s neck, eyes lingering on the deep scar which corrupts dark skin.

"Nothing to tell" Nadine murmurs, stiffly. "Just a scar"

"What’s it going to take for you to tell me the origins story, eh? I want the director’s cut; unedited. All deleted scenes. Commentary optional"

"Sure we can come to some sort of arrangement. Think of something"

"Is that right? Chloe asks, eyes bright and shining. "An arrangement. The possibilities are… positively endless"

"But not positive if your imagination is small"

"Drumming up the wordplay, aren’t we?" Chloe’s voice is small. "A flowing flirtation"

A flowing flirtation which has been growing, and steadily, ever since they landed in Rome.

The rate has been frantic, unrelenting, a fitting makeup and a similar approach to the one Chloe offers in day to day living. There had been India and walks through grassland, long forgotten jungles and jeep drives through a vast span of land and water as they slowly peeled one another back, layer by layer, brick by brick. It had been slow and sometimes confrontational, weighed down by a brief betrayal of trust and sidesteps into the murky depths of their respective pasts. They had stood in the furthest reaches of Belur together, had climbed and scaled a city so beautiful it had to be hidden away for centuries. The lines – between business partners and something more – began to blur somewhere between India and their first official job together in Montenegro and that was problematic but only initially. Initially because, after years in this line of work, of grifting and treasure hunting, of scaling hills and mountain tops with bare hands and even barer pockets, Chloe knows all too well that mixing business with pleasure is an ill-fated cocktail. It only entails trouble, spawns negative air and awkward morning afters. The hollowed out warning of all of these bullet points had arrived in bright letters in the centre of her mind as she awakened one morning in another nameless city, somewhere in the Balkans. So, to start, they kept things professional. Chloe kept things professional. To start.

That was, until it all came hurtling to a conclusion - similar to that of a speeding freight train – on the first night in the Italian capital and Chloe has seen enough of speeding trains to last a lifetime, metaphors aside. Contrary to popular belief, the treasure hunting underworld is often a lonely foray and finding someone who walks at your speed is reminiscent of locating and unearthing a fine and chipped away diamond buried in the hidden depths of a dessert. The realisation that Nadine is that fine, chipped away diamond had been unearthed as soon as Chloe’s feet had touched base at their hotel room. Her partner had set about converting the space of the room into a fully functioning hub, complete with maps and directories of the city as she stood arched and serious, leaning over a flattened map positioned on a glass table. It flowed effortless and easy and Chloe had just about managed to catch herself when Nadine had asked her what she thought their best options were for their escape route from the auction house.

And now, Chloe is no longer fighting, protesting the feelings which have weaved like growing ivy to entangle her soul; she’s actively embracing them. If it had to happen – this thing with Nadine – then it had to happen. She would more than happily accept a one night stand and anything beyond that line would be snapped up with both hands; a mere bonus to the partnership which they had forged in the depths of hidden India. They could be partners with benefits.

"You sound surprised" Nadine comments, making Chloe’s brief sidestep falter and fall away as she’s tugged back into the present. Nadine is sitting up on the bed now, a little bleary eyed, as she gazes over.

"Not surprised" Chloe says, and for a moment she’s not sure who she’s responding to; her inward monologue or her partner sitting before her eyes. "Not in the slightest" 

Nadine emits a sound which says much the opposite.

" _Really_ , it’s just- this is my first shot at this’ Chloe says, pointing between them. "You know; the whole “partner” thing and I really just- I want this to work out"

"But nothing more, eh?"

"Nadine, that’s not- that’s not what I meant. I _want_ it to work out, for the both of us. You seem primed to handle my selfish dickheadedness in all its glory, and that’s a quality I can appreciate because it’s just so bloody rare. It’s just- I’m not good with the whole “feelings” thing. I don’t scribble my thoughts down on post-it notes. There’s no meaningful gingerbread trail, here. I don't leave them around for you to find"

"Thank god. You’re insufferable as it is"

" _See?_ You get me’ Chloe sighs, closing her eyes briefly. "You _get_ me, Nadine, and that’s more unsettling than hanging from a ledge one handed or chasing the trail of a bomb armed for an Indian city"

"For someone who doesn’t bode well with feelings, you sure like to take your time ironing them out" Nadine says, shifting as she inches down the mattress.

"The iron is hardly warm. Not much heat in it" Chloe offers, forcing a too bright smile as Nadine nears her side. A careful touch on her arm is enough to freeze the forming words resting on the apex of Chloe’s tongue, her stance softening on collision with Nadine’s tugging smile. Nadine’s fingers are reaching out, dancing across Chloe’s skin, sending a river style ripple of chills throughout her body. It’s tantalizing and it only spreads as Nadine’s hands drift from her skin to grasp her hands.

"You alright?" The words form careful and quiet. Nadine’s eyes shimmer with honesty, genuine with care. She’s closer, now, her breath falling in steady paces over Chloe’s lips in a motion which feels like it’s stealing the air from the room, making Chloe shift.

Chloe’s hands drift closer to tentatively reach out, as if to check that the skin found beneath her fingers is both present and real. Nadine inhales a breath, the touch igniting a desire within her which is only enhanced by the alcohol currently buzzing in fruition down and around her veins, reverberating and unrelenting. They’re about to kiss, most likely, and the realisation cuts a bout of arousal through a thick and suspended air. The tension is rising, bubbling towards the surface as it threatens to over spill.

"Take a number and I’ll get back to you?" Chloe answers, her words punctuated by warm puffs of air directly against Nadine’s lips. She’s almost forgotten what they’re talking about because the motion of warm air against lips unravels as ticklish and hypnotic as it transcends in the moment they’ve found passing between them. There’s the usual humour lacing Chloe’s words, naturally, but something else, too.

Nadine’s features crease into a smile. "Take all the time you need"

"Kept her waiting for two hours on a rooftop and _now_ she learns" Chloe’s eyes shimmer, her touch lingering against Nadine’s skin. "And they say tough love never works"

"Is that what it was, eh?" Nadine asks, her eyes shiny as they reflect Chloe’s own.

Chloe is central in her vision, is literally all that Nadine sees, and the small act of closing the gap between them emerges intriguing and significant. She’s imagined it, of course, kissing the soft lips which are just close enough to touch if she were to inch closer, acutely away of the way Chloe’s lip juts out and how present it is from most side angles. The daydream and thought has crossed her mind, steadily, in the pauses of silence, during the nights spent sleeping on mirroring sides of faceless hotel rooms more times than Nadine cares to remember. She dabs her bottom lip with a sudden swipe of tongue. The air in the room has now grown stuffy and too warm.

"Tough love?"

Chloe’s lips hover, drifting dangerously closer towards Nadine’s own, her partner’s breath a cool breeze of alcohol mixed together with intoxication. Nadine’s hands are gliding upwards, settling to part through dark and shiny hair, and Chloe finds herself threatening to break the drawn out line of anticipation – of build-up - which has been bubbling away, steadily, since the first mouthful of scotch back in the saloon bar.

"Had to test you out" Chloe admits, breathless. "Make sure I’d chosen wisely. That you were up to task"

"And was I?" Nadine asks. Her voice is hollow and worn. It doesn’t sound familiar so it falls alien on common ears as surprise at the sound spreads with goosebumps across her body. "Up to task?"

"Ranked a little low in places" Chloe admits, drawling as the gap begins to close between them. "Could’ve done without the whol-"

Chloe’s words are cut off; separated and dislodged mid-pronunciation by Nadine’s lips meeting her own and the urgent insistence of " _stop talking"_.

So, Chloe stops talking. Chloe stops talking and they’re kissing, really kissing.

Nadine pulls Chloe closer, lips falling soft and hungry, breath hot and heavy, in what ignites as a kiss burning bright and inflamed with gasoline.

Nadine can’t place whose mouth is the lighter and whose mouth is the gasoline because lips blur, clashing together with such a relentless pace, Nadine almost topples over. Chloe pushes against her in an attempt to ease her back to rest against the bed but Nadine is strong - and enjoying the sensation to every degree - so she presses back in a comfortable friction. Chloe tugs Nadine’s ponytail, freeing her partner’s hair from confinement and curls immediately cascade around her shoulders, falling gently against the top of her dress. They kiss until they’re both breathless - the very definition of the word - and until Nadine is all flushed face with a lazy, dopey grin settling into place when Chloe eases away with her bottom lip nipped between teeth. Of course, Chloe Frazer, is a biter. It’s expected, predictable and welcomed all in the same breath.

Nadine sighs with contentment as their lips meet again, gap bridged, feeling Chloe’s hands scaling down and across her collar bone, coming to rest against her neck. The moan she emits is pure and untouched, and Chloe drifts away from her lips to whisper the affirmative that she really, _really_ liked that noise she just made. Chloe’s fingers drift across the ridge of her scar, almost mesmerised by the corruption of skin, and Nadine can only close her eyes. The touch is an endless glide of relaxation, extended with heaviness and before she realises what she’s doing, Nadine finds her voice, sitting faded and forgotten at the back of her throat.

"Happened on my first day" Nadine begins, eyes reopening. She’s a little breathless after kissing, taking a brief moment to steady herself as Chloe’s fingers dance over and under the wound, careful and hypnotic. The scar remains as violent and sore in aesthetic as it had been when first inflicted although it’s been years.

"At Shoreline?"

Nadine nods. "My dad’s lieutenant didn’t take too kindly of his bloodline taking the reins. Pulled a knife on me when I had my back turned. Suffice to say, paid the price"

"Delightful. Please tell me you extended the courtesy"

"Ja" Nadine confesses, proud. "Shot him in the legs. Extended him the courtesy of knowing when it was going to happen"

"Sure he appreciated it"

"Oh, he did" Nadine closes her eyes. Chloe’s touch is gentle. "He did"

Chloe’s graze lingers. The scar remains deep red in colour, cutting across Nadine’s collar bone as it dives into the apex of her neck. Chloe had initially taken note of the wound when she had first placed her cards on the table about Asav and the job of retrieving the tusk. The scar appeared prominent and something your gaze would fall automatically to whenever Nadine’s neck was exposed by a low cut tank top or dress.

"So, now you know" Nadine exhales, a moment later. Chloe’s touch is no longer lingering on her scar, her partner’s arms are moving to wrap around the nape of her neck. "Live up to expectation?"

"And then some" Chloe says. In all honesty, her hypothesis on the scar had leaned towards a traumatic moment in Nadine’s past, possible childhood, so the theory had grazed the truth. A little.

Nadine shuts her eyes, wincing suddenly.

"Hey, you okay?" Chloe’s voice falls gentle and sincere. Her features cross with worry, briefly, because a wince after kissing isn’t normally a good sign. Nadine’s eyes flicker open. "Okay" might be a stretch. She’s lost somewhere on the opposite side of the descriptor. The room feels hazy, shimmering, as if swaying against the conversation flowing between them. "I didn’t hurt you, did I?"

"No, no. Just, uh, regretting those drinks right about now’ Nadine blinks. ‘And seeing two of you’

"Lucky you"

"Room is spinning. Need to lie down"

"With _two_ of me? How scandalous"

"And how is it that you are fine?" Nadine asks, incredulous. Chloe’s looped arms around her neck are nothing but distracting. "You drank more than me"

"Experience" Chloe tells her, proud. "I’ll need to take you out more; show you my wild, wild ways; loosen you up. You _are_ tightly wound" 

"You kissed me" Nadine states, bluntly, and seemingly out of nowhere. Her words form distant, uttered tipsily, as if pulled from another strand of conversation. Her hands are on Chloe’s waist, now, holding her gently.

"You kissed me first"

"You kissed me back"

"Is someone needing reminded?"

"Just confirmation. Not sure I’ll remember this in the morning"

"Trust me, you’ll remember" Chloe bites her bottom lip. She shifts, shuffling as she manoeuvres, left leg before right, until she’s effectively straddling Nadine’s lap. "We could try again, I mean. Double the clarity of the memory so there’s no question that you’ll remember"

"Is that the roundabout way of saying you want to kiss me again?" Nadine snorts, playfully grabbing Chloe’s hips. "You can’t even admit it"

"Where’s the fun in that?" Chloe asks, drifting closer. "Word play is foreplay. Admission puts an end to that"

"Foreplay? You call _this_ foreplay?"

"Well, it’s certainly got your goat"

"Got my- _what?"_

"Got your goat. It’s an expression. Old slang term for anger but in this context I’m meaning it to be how ar-"

"Got it. Loud and clear"

" _Ooh_ , someone’s impatient" Chloe prods, angling her head away as Nadine attempts to meet her lips before grinning at the sight of the scowl of being denied. Chloe’s following laugh is joyous and light but it soon ceases when she feels tight, muscled arms gripping to hold her waist, a blur of movement which results in her back being pressed flush against the mattress and fiery eyes gazing down on her. "Someone’s _very_ impatient"

"Better angle this way" Nadine states, pushing closer. Chloe’s fingers are gliding through strands of her curly hair, the action unfolding as a distraction and stimulator.

"Better angle? You should see the other side"

"Always the wit. Always the comeback, eh"

" _Always"_

"Even when you’re on your back"

" _Please_. You’re loving every second"

The words are offered with flirtation, with humour, an enticing dangle of a hook which Nadine barely refrains from biting on. She holds Chloe’s gaze with shiny eyes and a tugging, almost smile before an answer falls physical in the collision of lips, of trailing hands which scale across taut muscles and shoulders, and every collision is breathed in wholeheartedly and clear. Kissing which is peppered with gentle bites - all Chloe - and glides of tongue – mostly Nadine - which are stained with faint traces of Italian liquor and other far travelled beverages. Nadine Ross, it transpires, is a good kisser; a damn good kisser and for a while, Chloe grows lost to an abyss where all she can feel is the soft mouth colliding with her own, the fingertips gliding up and down her arms - up and down - and the reassurance that the weight of the body situated on top of her is emitting. They kiss until the act is committed to memory, an imprint on the mind, with satisfaction and with relief. It’s been building for a while - this thing - and the unfolding collision has lived up to faded day dreams as it flickers from a what-if into reality. It feels good. Too good.

"What are you thinking about?" Nadine asks, between faint kisses and a brief moment of silence. The streets below the hotel room have grown almost as quiet, the steady sound of hovering and honking Vespas fading into the distance.

"Just that I really, _really_ need to shower" Chloe exhales, closing her eyes as Nadine’s lips drift – solely teasing – against her neck. The voice brushing against her skin is as honest as ever.

"Ja, ja you do"

" _Hey_. Uncalled for"

"Just being honest" Nadine pushes herself up from the bed by her hands, Chloe shifting beneath her. Nadine feels hands trailing from her face, sliding to graze across the deep ‘v’ neckline of her dress before they come to rest against her hips.

"Care to join me?" Chloe’s eyebrows wiggle, excitement and playfulness shining in the central pools of her eyes. It’s tempting, to say the least, the offer of a shared shower. A forward step into whatever it is they’ve just lit the wick to.

"Room is spinning" Nadine murmurs in reply, closing her eyes. Her movement has been too quick, too sudden and now she has motion whiplash. ‘Should lie down’

"Your loss, Ross" Chloe rhymes, laughing lightly. She could get that printed on t-shirts; forget Nadine’s business card idea. _This_ is a concept.

"Another time"

" _Uh_ , you should be so lucky" Chloe winks, closing the gap between them, her lips lingering. Nadine’s smile is instant, forming an almost smirk, because there’s a not so subtle promise to the retort. A shared shower is definitely on the cards at some point. Chloe shifts and Nadine manoeuvres until her back is resting against the bed, head on a fluffy white pillow and eyes watchful on Chloe as she strides across the room.

"That shower, yeah? Gotta have it"

"Sure, sure. Just… close the door, ja?"

" _Why?_ Afraid of what you might see?" 

Nadine isn’t, of course, but that doesn’t prevent Chloe from turning around and holding her gaze. It doesn’t prevent but it sure does exaggerate what she does next. Proceeding to strip - layer by layer – and slow, Chloe is completely clothes and diadem free as she reaches the edge of the bathroom door.

"Exhibitionist" Nadine mutters, and she’d be rolling her eyes if the sight before her wasn’t stealing the air - and all her functioning thoughts - from the room.

"Flaunt it if you’ve got it is what they say" Chloe turns around, confidence unshakeable as she stands proud with her hands on her hips. "I’ll be quick, yeah?" she informs Nadine. "Save you some water"

But Chloe is _not_ quick. Chloe is slow and the very definition of the word. Chloe takes her time - deliberates - and Nadine finds herself almost punching the air in jubilant joy when the hiss of the too loud shower echoing from the bathroom eventually ceases and stops. The mechanical churn of the water hadn’t exactly been aiding the growing headache zigzagging its way across her forehead. Chloe steps out from the marbled bathroom with a crisp white towel wrapped around her waist, her long hair now damp and free from its ponytail. Nadine shifts where she lies on the bed. She’s definitely regretting the fact that there’s no double bed, the single now feeling too small and too lonely.

"God, you’re _still_ here" Chloe quips, playful. She drops the towel wrapped around her waist in an instant and Nadine reaches out - metaphorically - to pull her slackened jaw up from the floor. Nadine fails to recover but only briefly, her eyes searching. She isn’t quite sure where she’s supposed to look but all over seems to be the general idea if Chloe’s proud stance is anything to go by. It’s attractive and an annoyance in equal measure and suddenly where there was once a gap between them fades to exist. Chloe’s lips fall harsh and warm as they increase in tempo, doubling with passion, as Nadine’s hands drift to scale across an endless expansion of skin. Chloe’s shoulders aren’t as defined as her own are, aren’t as muscled, they’re slimmer in build and faintly smoother. Nadine’s hands scale until they run out of untouched skin, the majority of her attention deep rooted on the flowing attraction and stimulation of unrelenting lips - and tongues – melding together. In a rare moment - when kissing eventually subsides and Nadine leans back to swallow a pocket of air - conversation resumes.

"Can’t get rid of me" Nadine murmurs, breathless.

"Christ, how terrible"

Nadine laughs, fingers inching to part through sections of Chloe’s hair. "Awful, right?"

"Completely" Chloe’s spreading smile says quite the opposite, however, and Nadine closes the gap between them again on impulse. Chloe’s lips feel soft, falling perfectly into place on and between her own. To Nadine’s annoyance, Chloe eases away, pulling her lips just far enough out of reach to unsettle a frustrated groan.

"Stop teasing"

Chloe smirks. "You know that’s never going to happen, right? The foundations of my soul are built on teasing. Forget the pyramids, yeah? Who the hell needs sand?"

"The Sahara" Nadine offers, pushing closer only to be denied again. "Beaches. The ocean, to name but a few"

" _Smartarse_ , eh. Teasing is fun" Chloe comments, grinning. "You’re looking very frustrated"

"I’ll _show_ you frustrated"

Nadine does, for the record, and somewhere between the flowing progression of the unzipping of her dress - a dedicated skill with blind hands when lips are otherwise preoccupied - Chloe finds herself on her back, again, their positions switched. She gazes up at Nadine with clear eyes and a smile which offers a heaviness they’re both pretending to be blissfully unaware of. Chloe reaches out, fingertips gliding to caress and touch her partner’s face, a distinct pool of possibilities flickering bright into illuminated light.

"I know it’s not a sure thing" Chloe begins, and her voice is unusually quiet, somehow purified on its arrival. Nadine is mesmerised and it’s not solely from the gentle touch weaving as hypnotic fingertips against her cheekbones. " _This_. You and I" Chloe pauses. It’s suspenseful, dramatic on arrival. "But we are in Rome…"

"Ja" Nadine adds in agreement. "We are"

"And as the saying goes..."

Nadine gets there before Chloe can. "When in Rome"

" _When in Rome_ , do as Romans do"

Nadine agrees wholeheartedly by meeting Chloe’s lips halfway. It’s kind of predictable, borderline cliché and yet somehow perfect. The setting, the time, the place and, even, _annoyingly_ , the single bed because of all the cities in the world for this to happen, cheesy lines aside, it had to be Rome.

 

* * *

 

Nadine’s head is clear – excluding a few passing aches – when she awakes.

The room is too bright, bursting with brimming Italian sunshine trickling through the light and wispy material of the ceiling to floor curtains that nurse the window and balcony. It’s just past eight am and as Nadine stirs from sleep, the body tightly wrapped around her shifts. They slept together on a single bed; a single bed in the fanciest most affordable hotel they could find this side of Rome, with marble flooring in the bathroom and scenic balcony views of a plaza square. They’ve done something wrong but also something very, very right. Nadine happily acknowledges this with no regrets, well, excluding her slowly forming headache and the start of her hangover.

When Chloe stirs from sleep, half an hour later, a flood of teasing remarks are unleashed. Teasing which is only silenced by lips on lips and Nadine has a sinking suspicion that it’s all part of an intricately woven plan, all with her partner at the helm. In fact, she knows it is but Nadine isn’t complaining. Chloe’s phone chimes – pre-breakfast and post-tugging on clothes – and it’s a sound Nadine has become adeptly familiar with ever since they signed up for their first job. Chloe’s got mail. Nadine sits perched on the edge of her single, well, her shared single as she watches Chloe open and her eyes flit over the email.

"Huh" Chloe comments, swiping the screen of her smartphone.

"What is it?"

"Just Victor. He’s forwarded on another job’ Chloe glances up from her phone. "You said you enjoyed poker. Feel like doubling the stakes? There’s treasure this time"

"Your minds already made’ Nadine tilts her head, almost cocky with confidence as Chloe flickers with confusion at being read so well. Nadine leans back on her elbows, resting on the bed. "Your eyes are shining. That’s your tell, Frazer"

"My tell. Didn’t know I had one of those. Do you spend a lot of time looking into my eyes?"

"I’m in’ Nadine affirms, amused. "What’s the job?"

"You and I are off to a museum in Florence"

"A museum? Why?"

"Well, there’s a collection. A small one. It’s by invitation only"

"A museum that's by invitation? I thought we were treasure hunters"

"Sully has an endeavour to another client and the offer of a substantial reward. It’s a private collection; the museum. There’s no glass, apparently. You get to experience the antiquities up close"

"They’re begging to be robbed’ Nadine sniffs. "How’re we getting in?"

"Our man Sully is already on it. Email attachment with our invites. This one is for Friday night. You’re a Sara Ringer and I’m your dashing companion Charlotte Warrington. We travel the world together, collectors of antiquities"

"That’s it, our cover?"

"There’s always room for improvisation" Chloe admits. "Let your imagination run rampant with possibilities"

"Why do I get the feeling I’ll be regretting this?"

"Don’t regret, _appreciate_ ’ Chloe tells her, drifting closer. "You know what they say. _Do as Romans do"_

Nadine scoffs. "Say that one more time and I'll-"

"When in-"

Nadine groans, actually _groans_. Chloe grins as she delivers the final word of "Rome."

"I’m not sitting next to you on the train"

"Come on, we both know that’s not true. Perks of trailblazing third class; you’ll have _no_ choice where to sit. Window or aisle seat? I call window. Just don't throw me out of it"

"Just… _great"_ Nadine sighs, distracted as Chloe slinks closer, her touch finger walking up her arm.

"Victor’s contact will meet us in Florence to collect the diadem" Chloe continues, enjoying the groan that echoes from her partner’s vicinity. "Money is being wired as we speak"

"Good" Nadine pauses, watching as Chloe types out a reply with her free hand. She briefly wonders what time it is back in the States. "So, this job" Nadine continues. Chloe throws her phone down and it bounces as it lands on the bed. "We’re together?"

"Debatable. Do you want us to be together or will we settle for good old fashioned sultry subtext?"

"Our background is true to life"

"Hmm, a little" Chloe hums, swaying as she drifts closer, easing Nadine to lie back on the bed.

"Makes things less complicated"

"How about both?" Chloe says. "We’re together _with_ sultry subtext"

"You’ll drive the marks away" Nadine adds, amused. "Subtlety isn’t your forte"

"Excuse you, I bleed subtlety"

"You mean, firing an RPG at close range type of subtlety? I was there. There was bleeding. Wasn’t at all subtle"

"That was _one_ time"

"Twice, actually"

" _Fine_. Details to be determined" Chloe waves a hand. "But first; fancy seeing the sights before we leave? We’ve got the whole afternoon to kill and I know a bar"

"Always do"

"You say that like it’s a bad thing" Chloe chides, kissing Nadine chaste and faintly before she pulls back. "What do you say to one last hurrah to Roma?"

Nadine murmurs in protest because she’s Nadine but it dilutes, fading away, as an idea springs into her mind, bright and empowering as it eclipses any sense of doubt. "Always did want to see the Trevi"

"Well then, that’s that. Plenty of space on my camera roll for our overdue selfie" Chloe tells her. "Strictly no duck face"

Nadine’s response arrives with kissing. No duck face included.

 

* * *

 

Rome on foot, it arises, is just as complex at navigating with two feet hovering above the ground on a Vespa.

It’s less bumpy, however, and as they weave a pathway between their hotel and the Coliseum before stopping off at Piazza Venezia, Chloe takes her time to skilfully angle and frame artistic snapshots; one for the photo album, so to speak, because it’s been a while since her venture led her to the Italian capital. Although the beauty of Rome emerges a little dusty, years later, it hasn’t been forgotten. They eventually emerge at Fontana di Trevi – the local terminology for the favoured meeting place – in the shadow of the radiating sun and the bluest sky. It’s crawling with locals and tourists all around, it has just hit afternoon after all, so manoeuvring and slipping past crowds unfolds with some difficulty as they drift closer towards the fountain.

" _Fontana di Trevi_ ; otherwise known as the Trevi fountain" Chloe inhales a breath, striding dramatically towards the centre of the main structure. "Constructed in 1762 to replace a failing predecessor. _Tre vie_ translates as “three roads”, marking the terminal point of Acqua Vergine; an aqueduct of Ancient Rome. The aqueduct has been fully functional ever since, bar a few temporary setbacks for repairs"

Nadine nods, eyes drinking in the centre piece before them. The cascading water is clear as it trickles and falls into the lightness of the turquoise pool situated below. The statues and inscriptions stand imposing and tall, ever clear and sharp after hundreds of years passing initial creation. It’s Nadine’s first time seeing the Trevi up close, with her own eyes, and she realises that the images and pictures her eyes have drifted across in books and online have failed to do the scene before her justice. The fountain is grand and suddenly Nadine feels very small. She breathes out, taking a moment to gaze at the towering inscriptions of Roman numerals decorated in the centre piece above the statues.

"It’s not quite Belur" Nadine declares, dwelling.

"Just had to ruin that moment, didn’t you?" Chloe chastises, shaking her head. "I’ve been working on that intro far longer than I care to admit"

Nadine’s gaze drifts from the inscriptions back to meet Chloe’s own. "You certainly know the history"

"Have my dad to thank for that. Ancient Rome was a school project. Cut and paste articles, that sort of thing. See that sculpture, there, in the middle?" Chloe pauses, pointing to the largest, most central figure situated on the piece. The statue stands tall and imposing, exuding an obvious importance and grandness as flowing as the water which is spilling from just beneath its base.

"Ja" Nadine nods.

"That’s Oceanus. God of all water"

Nadine sniffs, unfolding her arms as she glances away from the statue. "Looks angry"

"With all these tourists around, I can’t think why"

"Any treasure lying around?" Nadine asks, half-serious.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the only treasure found here are the views" Chloe fans herself, feeling the heat of the afternoon sun. "The coins in the water are about as exciting as it gets. Don’t get much for the Euro these days"

Nadine exhales, with contentment, as she drifts closer towards the edge of the middle of the fountain. Her eyes capture the blue shimmer of clear water and shiny reflections of submerged coins, gifted to the water with hopeful and naive wishes for luck. It’s a strange tradition, slightly odd when broken down and dissected, but one nonetheless. Nadine fishes a Euro from a pocket, glancing to Chloe as she fidgets with the coin between her fingers.

"Desperate times" Chloe chimes in, whipping out her smartphone. "If you're making a wish"

"It’s what people do, right?" Nadine murmurs, shifting and unimpressed. She’s participating. "Don’t need luck to change my outlook. Can do that myself"

Chloe grins, snapping a photo of her partner mid-pout, much to Nadine’s dismay. "Just remember; right hand over your left shoulder, yeah?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You toss your coin with your right hand over your left shoulder" Chloe offers, shrugging her shoulders, as she inspects the snapped photo on the screen of her phone. Nadine’s expression is deliciously perturbed. "I don’t make the rules"

"But you’ll happily break them"

"Rules are rules" Chloe hums, setting up her camera for another snap, this time of the main fountain statues. "But this is tradition, far less forgiving. Just ask our good friend Ganesh"

Nadine relents from a cutting retort and instead turns around, her back merging flush with the fountain edge. She closes her eyes, briefly, silently making her wish before the Euro flies from her hand, travelling a brief distance before landing in a thick splash as it sinks towards the base of the crystal clear water. Chloe lasts approximately five seconds before she asks Nadine what she wished for.

"Won’t come true if I tell you" Nadine retorts, amused. She smirks, playing her Ace of Spades. Withholding information from Chloe is a sure fire way to make her squirm, all in an attractive way of course. "I don’t make the rules"

"Smartarse"

"Ja" Nadine laughs. "Will you take my picture?"

" _Only_ because you asked nicely" Chloe fidgets with her phone, grinning as Nadine steps to find a gap, wedged in between other tourists and selfie sticks. "Careful, now" Chloe adds, amused. "Be nice and refrain from punching"

"Just take the picture"

"You’re not even looking!" Chloe scolds, raising her phone, angling it landscape. Nadine’s arms are crossed but she remains smiling. "That’s better; now unfold your arms"

Nadine does, slowly, her arms falling to her sides. "If you ask me to say _cheese_ , I’ll-"

"Well then,  _cheese"_

Chloe’s laugh is infectious and the harder Nadine tries to fight it, the easier it is to just join in so she does. The shutter of the camera sounds and Chloe holds the screen up, pushing the phone into Nadine’s palm for her partner to inspect as she strides towards her.

"Relatively painless and you didn’t even break the camera with that smile. A not quite Christmas miracle" Chloe reaches out, her fingertips grazing across Nadine’s palm as she collects her phone. "You like?"

Nadine inspects the photo. She likes herself in it. She's smiling and the sun is shining down, illuminating the bright colours of the Trevi fountain behind where she stands.

"Ja, captures the moment or something to the effect. The lights good"

" _The lights good"_ Chloe’s eyes twinkle. "Listen to you, David Bailey"

"Just know how to frame a shot" Nadine says, coolly. "Now, scoot over. I’ll take yours"

" _Hey,_ I was promised a selfie" Chloe says, keeping her phone just far enough out of Nadine’s reach.

"Promised nothing of the sort" Nadine retorts. "And anyway, we stood on the pathways to the Hoy-sah-la Empire and we-"

"Hoy-sa- _lah"_  Chloe corrects, grinning. "Still can’t say it, can you? Adorable"

"Ja, _that"_  Nadine adds, quickly, embarrassed. She shakes the feeling off, collecting herself and resuming their conversation. ‘And we didn’t take any…’ she hates the term but she says it, nonetheless. With distaste, she might add. " _Selfies"_

"All the more reason to. Now, get over here"

" _Bossy"_

"You _love_ it. If last night was anything to go by"

"We must remember things differently" Nadine murmurs, folding her arms as she slinks into Chloe’s side. "Spent a lot of time on your back, you did"

"Is that right?" Chloe asks, eyes glinting as they narrow. Nadine is hovering, brushing her side as their eyes do battle, flirtatiously. "Seems a little out of character"

"You weren’t complaining" Nadine murmurs, wetting her bottom lip with a dab of tongue. It just so happens that Chloe’s eyes fall to the movement exactly when it happens, and suddenly the fountain around them seems to shimmer and fall away.

"In fact" Nadine continues. "I recall a lot of mo-"

" _Moving swiftly on..."_  Chloe chimes in, twisting her phone around as she prepares a photo. "Selfies to get and not a lot of time"

Nadine laughs, grinning as she gazes at the reflection of their faces on the screen. The Italian sun has breathed new life into fading cuts and bruises, and maybe last night had something to do with the glow reflecting bright and encompassing on both of their features.

"You better smile in this" is Chloe’s only instruction as she lines up her phone. Nadine raises her game, catching Chloe by surprise as she wraps an arm around her waist, tilting her head towards her shoulder.

"Was about to say the same thing to you"

"Great minds and all that"

Nadine smiles at the implication of the retort and Chloe grins, all white teeth, snapping a photo. She won’t make it known yet but Chloe thinks she’s finally found her replacement for the mediocre shot she currently has set as her phone background. Nadine’s hold around her waist lingers as they break apart so Chloe snaps another quick selfie. This one is less perfect than the first but still no duck face which is an all-around win.

"So, where to now?" Nadine asks, turning on her feet.

"Well, I figured we’d spend some time here before we venture to the next stop off" Chloe pauses, slipping her phone back into her pocket. "Which is a surprise, by the way"

"A surprise? Don’t like surprises"

"You don’t like anything" Chloe laughs. It feels like they’ve had this conversation before. "Well, except me. You like me rather a lot"

It’s true, completely, and Nadine wants to quip something in response but relents when she spots an available gap towards the right edge around the fountain. Nadine tugs Chloe towards it and they sit down, growing lost to the relaxing sound of water falling and the increasing chatter and flowing movement of fountain goers. Chloe’s surprise, Nadine later uncovers, is another one from her ‘to visit’ list and not far from where they spend an hour relaxing around.

" _Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti"_  Chloe introduces, striding with all the confidence and enthusiasm of a local tour guide. "Or, in the more recognisable terminology; the Spanish Steps. Constructed between the early to mid-1720s"

The staircase situated before them is as grand as the Trevi fountain, decorated with colourful planters in an almost symmetrical ascent. The fountain at the bottom, however, is a little less grand and a lot more rustic.

"That is _a lot_ of steps" Nadine states as they stand in the centre on cobbles, looking up.

"One hundred and thirty five to be exact. You are looking at the widest staircase in Europe" Chloe informs. She motions to the fountain, situated behind them. " _Fontana della Barcaccia_. Fountain of the ugly boat"

"An apt title" Nadine murmurs. "It certainly lives up to its name"

"Legend has it, when the river Tiber flooded back in the late 1500s; a small boat was carried to this very spot, sparking the creation of the fountain"

"It’s like being with a talking Wikipedia"

" _And_ with no pause button" Chloe grins, proud.

"Quit reminding me"

"You _love_ my voice"

They climb to the top of the steps, slowly. The heat of the sun has now reached its peak; both a blessing and a curse.

Chloe leans over the top barrier, glancing down to look at the ascending and descending crowds of people.

"Fancy that afternoon soirée?" she asks, peaking over. "All this tourist-ing has me famished"

"There’s just one thing I want to do before we leave"

"And what’s that?"

Chloe gets her answer, in an unexpected way, in the form of a kiss.

Nadine tugs her around, by cupping her face with gentle hands as their lips meet gentle and soft. Chloe’s surprise lingers for around a second before she pushes closer, arms looping around Nadine’s neck as she deepens the kiss. They sway with tension, with tender, the initial soft collision of lips merging into a breathy make out with emphasis for more; much more.

Nadine is the first to break, to ease away, but with slowly stalled enthusiasm because she wants more. She gazes into Chloe’s eyes, searching for an answer she can already see and one she already knows. They’re holding onto one another tightly; Chloe’s arms are still looped around Nadine’s neck and Nadine’s fingertips remain gliding across Chloe’s cheeks.

"You _do_ know everyone’s staring, right?" Chloe asks, eyes bright. It unsettles Nadine how much she enjoys out of breath Chloe Frazer, knowing that she herself inflicted such a sound on the world. It’s a beautiful symphony. It falls perfectly on the ears.

"Worth it alone for the look on your face" Nadine’s features crinkle, creasing, as a deep smile forms. "Priceless, really"

" _Priceless?"_  Chloe plays up her defensiveness well. "You caught me by surprise, is all"

"Ja, feels good. I can see why you like it so much"

"Catching you by surprise? One must admit it has its own distinct shine and qualities"

"For sure, and uh, I was thinking-"

" _Again_? God" Chloe cocks her head, challenging. " _I_ think I know what you wished for back at the Trevi"

"Is that right?"

"Pretty much"

Nadine won’t admit it, not in words, but maybe there is some truth to Chloe’s initial hypothesis on her wish cast back at the Trevi. It seems so long ago. Maybe not just _some_ truth, however, maybe most of it. Okay, _all_ of it.

"About that drink…" Nadine begins, fingertips drawing careful lines against Chloe’s cheekbones. Her words trail off. Implication established. The following answer falls steady and automatic, reminiscent of the cascading flow of a Roman fountain. Chloe offers the suggestion because Chloe knows of course.

" _Hotel?"_

Nadine nods in affirmation, agreeing with no hesitation or preamble.

"Hotel _"_

Between the walk – pacing and quick – from the Spanish Steps back to their hotel, Nadine not only realises that the job in Rome has gifted a new leaf on the growing stem of their partnership but that the Italian capital will always be associated as being their city because it maintains a lot of firsts. As the saying goes – and it’s well repeated as it grates towards the edges of monotony – _When in Rome_. They’ll be in Florence in a few hours – the late evening train an adventure to look forward to - but for now it’s crumbling buildings and decaying ruins for scenery. It’s a stroll through a courtyard and hurried hands packing bags before other pleasurable ventures (or maybe it’s the other way around)

It’s Rome, it’s Nadine’s wish and it’s everything.


End file.
